What is
Childhood Hodgkin's Lymphoma
Childhood Hodgkin's lymphoma is a disease
in which malignant (cancer) cells form
in the lymph system.

Childhood Hodgkin's lymphoma is a type
of cancer that develops in the lymph system,
part of the body's immune system. The
lymph system is made up of the following:

Lymph: Colorless, watery fluid that
travels through the lymph system and
carries white blood cells called lymphocytes.
Lymphocytes protect the body against
infections and the growth of tumors.

Lymph vessels: A network of thin tubes
that collect lymph from different
parts of the body and return it to
the bloodstream.

Lymph nodes: Small, bean-shaped structures
that filter substances in lymph and
help fight infection and disease.
Lymph nodes are located along the
network of lymph vessels found throughout
the body. Clusters of lymph nodes
are found in the underarm, pelvis,
neck, abdomen, and groin.

Spleen: An organ that produces lymphocytes,
filters the blood, stores blood cells,
and destroys old blood cells. It is
located on the left side of the abdomen
near the stomach.

Thymus: An organ in which lymphocytes
grow and multiply. The thymus is in
the chest behind the breastbone.

Tonsils: Two small masses of lymph
tissue at the back of the throat.
The tonsils produce lymphocytes.

These and other symptoms may be caused
by childhood Hodgkin's lymphoma or by
other conditions. A doctor should be consulted
if any of the following problems occur:

Painless, swollen lymph nodes in the
neck, chest, underarm, or groin

Fever

Night sweats

Weight loss for no known reason

Itchy skin

How is
childhood Hodgkin's lymphoma diagnosed?
Tests that examine the lymph system are
used to detect (find) and diagnose childhood
Hodgkin's lymphoma. The following tests
and procedures may be used:

Physical exam and history: An exam
of the body to check general signs
of health, including checking for
signs of disease, such as lumps or
anything else that seems unusual.
A history of the patient's past illnesses
and treatments will also be taken.

Lymph node biopsy: The removal of
all or part of a lymph node that is
then viewed under a microscope and
checked for signs of disease. One
of the following types of biopsies
may be done:

Excisional biopsy: The removal of
an entire lymph node.
Incisional biopsy or core biopsy:
The removal of part of a lymph node.

Needle biopsy or fine-needle aspiration:
The removal of a sample of tissue
from a lymph node with a needle.

Chest x-ray: An x-ray of the organs
and bones inside the chest. An x-ray
is a type of energy beam that can
go through the body and onto film,
making a picture of areas inside the
body.

CT scan (CAT scan): A procedure that
makes a series of detailed pictures
of areas inside the body, taken from
different angles. The pictures are
made by a computer linked to an x-ray
machine. A dye may be injected into
a vein or swallowed to help the organs
or tissues show up more clearly. This
procedure is also called computed
tomography, computerized tomography,
or computerized axial tomography.

Complete blood count (CBC): A procedure
in which a sample of blood is drawn
and checked for the following:

The number of red blood cells,
white blood cells, and platelets.

The amount of hemoglobin (the
protein that carries oxygen)
in the red blood cells.

The portion of the blood sample
made up of red blood cells.

Sedimentation rate: A procedure in
which a sample of blood is drawn and
checked for the rate at which the
red blood cells settle to the bottom
of the test tube.

Blood chemistry studies: A procedure
in which a blood sample is checked
to measure the amounts of certain
substances released into the blood
by organs and tissues in the body.
An unusual (higher or lower than normal)
amount of a substance can be a sign
of disease in the organ or tissue
that produces it.

Gallium scan: A procedure to detect
areas of the body where cells, such
as cancer cells, are dividing rapidly.
A very small amount of radioactive
material, gallium, is injected into
a vein and travels through the bloodstream.
The gallium collects in the bones
or other tissues (organs) and is detected
by a scanner.

Bone scan: A procedure to check if
there are rapidly dividing cells,
such as cancer cells, in the bone.
A very small amount of radioactive
material is injected into a vein and
travels through the bloodstream. The
radioactive material collects in the
bones and is detected by a scanner.

Immunophenotyping: A test in which
the cells in a sample of blood or
bone marrow are looked at under a
microscope to find out the type of
malignant (cancerous) lymphocytes
that are causing the lymphoma.

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